Josef neumann



UNITED STATES .IOSEF NEUB [;'\NN,

PATENT Urrrcn.

TO HERMAN .IANNOCI-I, OF SAh'iE PLACE.

GARMENT-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 556,686, dated March 17, 1896. Application filed November 20, 1895. Serial No. 569.580. (N model.)

To aIZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osnr NEUMANN, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, rcsiding at Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvepersons thus ment in Garment-Holders, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like let tons on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention relates to improvements in garmenthold.ers, and particularly to means for locking thereon the garments or other articles which are to be secured.

My invention contemplates providing means for securely locking any article desired in its retained position, and providing further means to give notice when the articles so held are removed or attempted to be removed.

A further object of my invention is to provide a key for unlocking the engaged holding device and providing means for securing the key against removal when said holding devices are unlocked. By reason of this provision a person may hang up a garment, lock the same on its hook, and remove the key. .Vhen the garment is again desired, the key is inserted to unlock the hook so as to release the garment, andby said unloekin g movement the key is fastened in the device, so that it is impossible for the key to be carried away through forgetfulness or otherwise. I also make provision for ejecting or positively removing the key when the holding devices are locked in their retaining position, so that looking their garments on the hooks are obliged to take the key with them and thus bear the responsibility of having secured their garments.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improvements. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section thereof.

In the present embodiment of my invention, A designates a plate or supporting-frame, which is arranged to be secured to the wall, wardrobe or other suitable place 13 by means of the screws 7) or any other suitable retaining means. To this supporting-frame A any desired number of hooks are secured. In the present instance I have shown two coat-hooks C and a hat-hook G", and, as here shown,

these hooks are immovably fixed on the support A. Co-operating with these hooks are holding devices D and D, which, in the present instance, are pivoted to the supporting frame or plate A and provided with inward extensions d d passed through slots a provided in the support A. At their free ends these extensions (7. are bifurcated or provided with two fingers (1 arranged to co-operate with pinse provided on the operating or carrier bar E, as shown.

By means of the arrangement just described a reciprocation of the bar E causes the holding devices I) D to swing simultaneously on their pivots. The lower holding device, D, is herein shown as arranged to engage with two hooks O G, and is provided at either side with a thumb-stud (Z and is shown as thrown down from its dotted-line position into its full-line position in engagement with the hooks.

By the term engagement I do not mean necessarily that the holding device shall come into contact with the hook, but merely that it shall engage therewith or come sufficiently close thereto to retain the article that may be placed on the hookas, for instance, in the upper hook G, I have shown the holding device removed therefrom in its full-line or engaging position at a proper distance to retain a hat.

In order to lock the holding devices in their engaged position, I may provide any suitable spring-lock, but in the present instance I have shown a spring F suitably secured at its upper end and provided intermediate of its length with a shoulder or locking-bolt f, normally tending to engage the operating-bar E at its lower end. The spring F is disposed opposite the keyhole 7.: to be engaged by the key K. Thus when the key K is inserted in the keyhole 7.: and is pressed against the spring F with sufficient force to move the locking-bolt f out of engagement with the bar E the bar is at liberty to move and carry the holding devices out of engagement with the hooks.

In order that the key may be held against removal when the operatingbar E is in its unlocked position, I have provided the key with a notch 7" to be engaged by a rib 6' provided on the lower end of the operating-bar,

so that when the latter falls into its lowermost positio'nit willengage the key and hold the same against removal.

In order that the holding devices may be automatically disengaged from the hooks, I haye provided a spring S, which is secured at one end to the operating-bar E and at its other end preferably to the support A and normally under tension to retract the operating-bar E. Instead of this may be made sufficiently heavy to counterbalance the weight of the holding devices D D, and thereby operate the same by gravity.

The operating-bar or carrier E is herein shown as provided midway of its length with a ratchet surface or teeth T, as a means for operating the annuneiator, which in the present instance is shown as a. bell L, centrally supported by means of a strap], to which it is secured by means of a stub=screw Z This screw Z further serves to secure ascrew.- socket Z fromwhichdepends a spring-tongue Z arranged at its free end to engage the ratchet '1 and'also carrying adjacent its free end one or more hammers Z". By reason of this arrangement notification is given every time the holding devices are moved either to their engaged ordisengaged position. I do not desire, however, to restrict myself to the form. of annunciator herein shown, inasmuch asany other form or. even an electric contactsignal might be provided, and in the latter case the-annunciatoritself. might be removed, if desired, to some distance from the hooks. This arrangement might be desirable in restaurants, for instance, in which case the annunciator might be located at the eashiers desk, so that a movement of the operatingbar E would not only indicate to the cashier that a coat or hat was being removed, but that a guest was about to leave.

I have herein shown the holding-hooks D D as pivoted to the support A, although it is obvious that they might be fixed on the carrying-bar E and move directly with the movement thereof; or for some purposes it might be preferable to secure the hooks to the bar E and thereby move the hooks instead of the holding devices.

The operation of my improved safety-guard.

is as follows: The holding devices are normall y in their raised position, as herein shown in dotted-lines. Vhen a person desires to hang any garments on the hooks, a hat, for instance, may be hung on the hook C, a coat on one of the hooks C, and a cloak on the other hook, C. The handle or thumb-stud d isthen grasped and the holding device D is swung over into engagement with the hooks- C. This movement, by means of the extension (Z, raises the operating-barE and causes-- the upper holding device, D, to swing simultaneously with the lower holding device, D, into engagingposition with the hook O. l he moment that the holding devices D D reach their engaging positions the lower end of the operating-bar E rides over the locking-bolt spring the bar E.

notchit of the key, so that when the bolt f flew into engagement beneath the operatingbar the key K was ejected from its place by the forward movement of the lower end or the spring F. By means of this positive removal of the key the person using the hooks is obliged to notice the key and properly care for the same.

hen it is desired to remove the garments on the hooks, the key is inserted in the keyhole and pressed back against the opposing portion of the spring draw the bolt f from beneath the operatingbar. The operating-bar falls at once either by its own gravity or by reason of the spring E into itslowermost position, thereby lifting the holding devices out of engagement with the hooks to release the garmentsand at the same time looking the key K from removal. Also the movement of the bar E operates the annunciator in the present instance by reason of the ratchet T and the springtongue Z. Thus audible notification is given that the holding devices are being released, and, also, the key is held from removal so that it cannot be thoughtlessly carried away after the garments are removed.

Many changes in form and' arrangement may be resorted; towithout departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I donot desire to restrict my invention to its use with garment-hooks, inasmuch as it may be very readily applied to the holding of any other articles, such as tools or display articles in a store, and it maybe put to other widely-varied uses.

\Vhat I claim is 1. The combination with a. supportingplate, and a holding member secured thereto, of a holding device pivoted on said plate to engage and disengage said holding member, an operating-bar in loose engagement. with said holding device and normally operating to automatically swing the latter on its pivot out of engagement with said holding member, a bolt to automatically lock 'said operatingbar in its raised position-when said holding device is swung down to engage said holding member, and a key operating through said plate to remove said bolt from its locking position, and to be engagedand retained in said plate by the falling of said unlocked bar, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a supportingplate, and a holding member secured thereto, of a holding device pivoted on said plate to engage anddisengage said holding member, an operating-bar in loose engagement with said holding device and normally operating to'automatieally swing the latter on its pivot out of engagement with said holding member,

F sufiiciently to withof a holding device pivoted on said plate to engage and disengage said holding member and having its inner end bifurcated, an operating-bar provided with a pin in loose engagement with the bifurcated end of said holding device and normally operating to automatically swing the latter on its pivot out of engagement with said holding member, a leafspring secured to said plate, a bolt carried by said spring to automatically lock said operating-bar in its raised position when said holding device is swung down to engage said holding member, and a key operating through said plate against said spring to remove said bolt from its locking position, and to be engaged and retained in said plate by the falling of said unlocked bar, substantially as described. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEF NEUMANN. Witnesses:

Geo. W. GREGORY, Anmn F. DANIELS. 

